Structure for feeding, intermingling, vaporizing, and igniting combustion liquids ina combustion chamber for rocket-type propulsion apparatus



Nov. 30, 1954 R. H. GODDARD 2,695,496

STRUCTURE FOR FEEDING, INTERMINGLING, ,VAPORIZING AND IGNITING COMBUSTION LIQUIDS IN .A COMBUSTION CHAMBER FOR ROCKET-TYPE PROPULSION APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1952 INVENTOR.

55 ROBERT H. GODDARD. D560. 62 v -\z-, ESTHER c. GODDARD,EXECUTRIX.

.BY gin-0.6 M I 2,695,496 Patented Nov. V30, 1954 STRUCTURE FOR FEEDING, INTERMINGLING, .VAPORIZING, AND IGNITING COMBUSTION LIQUIDS IN A COMBUSTION CHAMBER FOR ROCKET-TYPE PROPULSION APPARATUS Robert H. Goddard, deceased,"late ofAnnapolis, Md., by

.Esther C. Goddard, executrix, Worcester, Mass., assignor ofone-half to The Daniel and Florence Guggeniheim Foundation, New "York, .N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 5, 1952, Serial No. 274,967

.2 Claims. (Cl. fill-65.6)

This invention relates to combustion chambers designed for use in rocket-type propulsion apparatus. The combustion gases generated in such chambers are continuously discharged through a rearwardly-directed open nozzle.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide improved means for feeding two different combustion liquids to such a combustion chamber, and for effectively breaking-up the liquid sprays or jets and causing them to be intimately intermingled.

More specifically, a heat-resistant baflle member is provided in the path of the injected sprays, and said injected sprays pass through holes or passages in said baffie member and are thereby diverted to a different direction of travel.

Furthermore, the baffie member soon becomes highly heated, and injection of the combustion liquids through the passages in said heated baffle member substantially facilitates vaporization of said liquids. The baflle memher is also so constructed and disposed that the paths of the injected liquids and the path of the out-going gases do not intersect.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional side elevation of a combustion chamber embodying a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an inside elevation of a portion of the combustion chamber wall;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional elevation of the baffle member;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional irregular line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified construction; and

plan view, taken along the Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. l, rocket apparatus is shown comprising a combustion chamber C and an open rearward discharge nozzle N, both enclosed in an outer casing or jacket I which provides a jacket space S. Gasoline or other liquid fuel is supplied under pressure to the space S through the supply pipe 10, and this fuel is injected into the combustion chamber C through a plurality of ports 12 which are preferably upwardly and inwardly directed.

The upper end of the combustion chamber C is enclosed by a casing or jacket J2 which provides a jacket space S2 separated from the jacket space S by an annular partition 13. A liquid oxidizer, such as liquid oxygen, is supplied under pressure to the jacket space S2 by a supply pipe 14. In its lower portion, the jacket space S2 is connected by ports 16 to the upper portion of the combustion chamber C, and these ports are preferably downwardly and inwardly directed, so that the fuel and oxidizer sprays intersect as shown in Fig. 2.

A baffle member 20 is secured in the upper end of the combustion chamber and may be held in place by an inwardly-displaced flange 22 in the cylindrical outer wall of the combustion chamber. The baffle member 20 is made of highly compressed carbon or of some other heatacutely inclined paths. passages .30 is facilitatediby rounding the outer edges of the passages. t

resistant and refractive material which is not-ignitable at combustion chamber temperatures.

The baffle member20 has a downwardly and inwardly projecting conical flange .24 which is provided with a plurality of .ports or passages :30. These passages :30 are shown in :''Fig. 3 as perpendicular to the substantially :parallel inner and outer surfaces of theconical flange 24. The passages 30 .are thus each at a substantial angle to the paths .of movement of :the intermingled zcombustion liquids dcliveredsthrough the ports 12 and 116.

The streams of intermingled liquids thus strikethe outer edgescof .the.;passages 30.and.are diverted to more .Entrance .of the liquids to the his abrupt .change in direction of trav'el causes the combustion liquids to be more intimately intermingled as they enter the space S3 within the baffle member 20. Furthermore, the conical flange 24 of the baffle member 20 becomes highly heated as soon as combustion is fully under way, and the combustion liquids are at least partially vaporized as they move through the passages 30.

An ignitcr 40, of flame-type or of other suitable construction, projects into the space S3 and may be used to start combustion. As soon as combustion is fully under way, the combustion gases will pass downward through the central area surrounded by the flange 24 of the baffle member 20 and will thus not intersect the paths of the inwardly moving combustion liquids and gases. Very effective intermingling, vaporization and discharge of combustion gases is thus effected.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and. 6, the baflie member has a conical lower flange 61 provided with a plurality of ports or passages 62 which are disposed in parallel horizontal planes, but with the passages 62 in adjacent planes oppositely inclined as indicated in Fig. 6, so that intermingling of the gases is further facilitated by the opposed directions of injection of adjacent superposed jets. Otherwise the general operation and advanages4 are as previously described in connection with Figs.

Having thus described the invention and the advantages thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what is claimed is:

1. In a rocket-type propulsion apparatus, a combustion chamber having a longitudinal axis and provided with an outer chamber wall, a closed inner end wall, a cylindrical inner side wall and a rearwardly-open discharge nozzle at the outer end, a heat-resistant baflie member mounted within said chamber and having a depending perforated frusto-conical flange with transverse passages therethrough and with the lower inner edge portion thereof spaced substantially inward from said closed inner side wall to define therewith an annular mixing space for two different combustion liquids, said frusto-conical baffle plate having its larger end toward the closed end of said chamber and having its flange converging toward the open discharge end of said chamber and defining a partially enclosed inner combustion space connected to said combustion chamber through an open central passage of substantial area, means to secure said bafile member in the closed end of said combustion chamber, means to project mixed combustion liquids inwardly against and through said depending perforated flange, said flange being highly heated by the combustion gases in said chamher and having a vaporizing action on any portions of mixed combustion liquids injected through said passages, and means to ignite the intermingled and vaporized combustion liquids in the chamber space enclosed within said depending flange and with the combustion gases freely dischargeable through said open central passage and rearwardly toward said open nozzle.

2. In a rocket-type propulsion apparatus, a combustion chamber having a longitudinal axis and provided with an outer chamber wall, a closed inner end wall, a cylindrical inner side wall and a rearwardly-open discharge nozzle at the outer end, a heat-resistant baflie member mounted within said chamber and having a depending perforated frusto-conical flange with transverse passages therethrough disposed in parallel superposed planes and with each plane perpendicular to the longito a radius of said chamber and the passages in any next adjacent plane being angularly displaced in an equal but opposite direction with respect to said radius, said frustoconical baflle plate having its larger end toward the closed end of said chamber and having its flange converging toward the open discharge end of said chamber and defining a partially enclosed inner combustion space con nected to said combustion chamber through an open central passage of substantial area, means to secure said baflle member in the closed end of said combustion chamber, means to project mixed combustion liquids inwardly against and through said depending perforated flange,

.said flange being highly heated by the combustion gases in said chamber and having a vaporizing action on any portions of mixed combustion liquids injected through said passages, and means to ignite the intermingled and vaporized combustion liquids in the chamber space enclosed within said depending flange and with the combustion gases freely dischargeable through said open central passage and rearwardly toward said open nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,618,808 Burg Feb. 22,1927 1,897,478 Holzwarth Feb. 14, 1933 2,107,365 Bray Feb. .8, 1938 2,405,785, Goddard Aug. 13, 1946 2,447,482 Arnold Aug. 24, 1948 2,465,525 Goddard Mar. 29, 1949 2,563,525 Goddard Aug'. 7, l95l FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 315,252 Great Britain July 10, 1929 

